Page 3 of Gideon
He was so fucking proud of himself. Hell, they all were, as I looked around at the smiling faces full of pride. Even Naomi’s own father looked happy as a clam. They tracked her cycle? Seriously? For breeding? I felt physically ill.
“I see,” I muttered in response. “Well, I look forward to hearing more about this position. Though… we have time now. I would love to hear more about it,” I attempted to finagle some additional info out of the group of them.
“I’m sure you will have your hands full with your new bride, Gideon,” Father scolded.
“Why do you say that?” I questioned, curious about his answer.
“Well, let’s just say Naomi can be a bit of a handful,” her father chuckled. What the fuck did that mean?
“I’m all ears if you have any tips,” I chuckled along with them. I could see headlights approaching. Elder Christian must have sped his way to Zion and back with the ice cream.
“A woman needs a firm hand, Son,” Reverend Jacob instructed.
“A firm hand, and a firm beating at times,” another of the Elders commented. Several voices rang out in agreement at that comment. The way they all justified beating their women down into nothing more than doormats was grotesque.
I mean, in a sense, I enjoyed beating women. Granted, it was in an entirely different context. I preferred any beatings to involve a flogger and a consenting submissive. It wasn’t the same. Not by a long shot.
“Make sure to set your rules tonight, young Temple. Set them firm and do not falter,” Elder Rivers chimed in.
“And if she steps out of line, make sure your punishment is swift and unyielding,” Father added.
Punishing their wives for breaking rules they deemed important. It was very like the kink world, only twisted into this perverse version where women were unable to consent. I could not wait to get the hell out of here. The sooner the better. Malachi better hurry up and get himself hitched now that I had tied the knot. I had done my duty to my brothers. I knew there was much left to do, especially now that we knew Talia had been kidnapped and brought here through some unknown set of circumstances. The sooner we figured out that particular mystery and brought it to justice, the sooner we could leave.
“Here is your ice cream, Gideon,” Elder Christian spoke breathlessly, handing the Reverend the carton.
“Good, good. Now, Son, make sure you breed your wife soon. We need to do God’s work. The Lord himself has ordered it.” The Reverend spoke with a smile as he handed me the carton of ice cream. I took it with a matching smile and a nod, not trusting myself to speak.
“Best get back to your wife, Gideon,” Father suggested, though it was not a suggestion. I heard the veiled threat there in his voice.
Go home and stay home. We’re watching.
That’s what he really said. That’s what they were all saying. And I would listen.
I nodded my consent and hopped back into my pickup. They cleared the way enough for me to turn my pickup around and head back home.
I watched their figures grow smaller in the rearview mirror, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles were white and my palms were sweaty.
Fuck them.
Fuck them and fuck this place.
I hit the steering wheel in frustration, and in a moment of pure rage, I grabbed the carton of ice cream beside me, lowered my window, and I threw it out towards the woods. All I wanted was a little time for myself. Why the fuck did they care if I spent my wedding night at home or somewhere else? It wasn’t their goddamn business.
Except that it was. In their minds, God himself had chosen them to wield power over the people of Zion. The Followers, they called themselves. It was disgusting. It was nothing more than a cult created by power-hungry, greedy men, built on the backs of weaker souls who were looking for someone else to lead them, to guide them. And somehow we all had landed at the Reverend’s feet.
Leaving this hell hole could not happen fast enough.
I pulled into the driveway, noting the fact that the lights in the upstairs bedroom were off. Naomi must be asleep. I couldn’t blame her. I wouldn’t bother her tonight.
Instead, I made my way to my boat. My smaller sailboat was just for use on the water. I couldn’t put the Ataraxia on the lake. It was made for open ocean waters, and while I had every intention of doing just that, it simply would not work on a lake. That didn’t matter, however. I loved her. She was a beauty; a large vintage sailboat I had purchased in parts and built from the hull up.
I had named her that because of the word’s meaning. A state of freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety; a place of tranquility. That’s what this boat was for me. If there was ever a night I needed exactly that, this was it.
This boat had become my safe haven over the last few years. While my other brothers had spent their money from Father on beautiful homes and land, I had invested in this baby. She was my home. I didn’t need a fancy house or nice things. Just the wind in my face and the ropes gliding through my hands. I needed the open water and the sound of waves crashing against my boat. While I couldn’t have that right now, it didn’t stop me from dreaming of the day I finally got this beauty out on the ocean, sailing as far away from this place as humanly possible.
I climbed up the ladder, onto my beautiful boat, taking a deep breath of the lake air. This was my bliss. I made my way below deck, down to the main cabin of the boat where I had set up my private space. This is where I came to sleep almost every night in the summer. This was also where I housed all of my kinky fuckery. Better here than in my house. It was my favorite place to practice ties. That was exactly what I planned on doing tonight.
I opened up the bench seat, pulling out a few hanks of hemp rope. A beautiful green hank and a silver to go along with it. Something pretty to make this shit show of a day just a little more bearable. The feel of the rope in my hands immediately calmed me. I worked the rope, tying a few simple knots to begin with before I began a more intricate design over the post below deck. It was a wide post, almost the size of a woman’s body, and perfect for this very thing.
